Hochul reiterates she’s staunchly pro-Israel, despite support for Mamdani

She may be reconsidering raising taxes on wealthy corporations, but that doesn’t mean Gov. Kathy Hochul agrees with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on everything. On Thursday, she made it clear that she and Mamdani still don’t see eye-to-eye on issues related to Israel. 

While foreign affairs generally don’t have much to do with the governing of New York City, Mamdani’s stance on Israel and his support of Palestine have dominated much of the discussion around him, particularly among Jewish New Yorkers. Although he has moderated some of his positions and given more measured responses (much to the chagrin of some of his more left-wing supporters), he has continued to take stances critical of the Israeli government that until recently would have been unheard of for a New York City mayor.

In particular, Mamdani’s pledge to arrest right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel and his criticism of synagogues that facilitate illegal West Bank settlements have made headlines in recent weeks.  

At an unrelated press conference in Manhattan, Hochul staked out her own pro-Israel positioning on several of those issues. First, she said she does not believe Netanyahu should be arrested based on charges issued by the International Criminal Court at The Hague, adding that the mayor does not have the authority to order the New York City Police Department to arrest him. Mamdani has repeatedly said New York City should “uphold international law” by honoring the international arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin if they ever visit New York. Netanyahu this week doubled down on his promise to visit the city once Mamdani takes office.

Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams this week also issued a parting executive order prohibiting business or pension investment decisions that would discriminate against Israel – a jab at the BDS movement Mamdani supports. Asked about the order, Hochul said her administration has “strongly supported the state policy on this issue.” She has kept in place an executive order signed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that required divestment of state resources from any institutions that support BDS. “And I've taken action to protect investments in Israel in the past, and will continue to do so,” Hochul added. 

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mamdani promised to review Adams’ executive order but did not directly opine on its content. “The mayor is free to issue as many executive orders as he'd like with the less than 30 days that he has in office,” Mamdani said. “And then we will be taking a look at every single one once we actually enter into City Hall.”

In a pro-Israel trifecta, Hochul also expressed support for newly introduced state legislation that would ban protests within 25 feet of houses of worship and reproductive health care facilities. The bill came in the aftermath of a high-profile pro-Palestine demonstration outside an Upper East Side synagogue that hosted Nefesh B’Nefesh, a nonprofit organization that facilities immigration to Israel, including to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Jewish community leaders accused the protesters, who shouted slogans like “Death to the IDF” and “Globalize the Intifada,” of antisemitic harassment and called for. additional protections for worshippers.

Following the protest, Mamdani’s spokesperson Dora Pekec released a statement that condemned the chants but added that “these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.” On Thursday, Hochul said she didn’t “agree with that assessment,” adding that members of the synagogue were “subject to abhorrent behavior” while trying to enter.

The governor also signaled support for some form of ban on protests outside places of worship. “I'm actually willing to look seriously at a buffer to protect that fundamental right we have, which is to express ourselves and practice the faith we choose to without fear and intimidation,” Hochul said. She didn’t rule out the prospect of including a version of the proposal in her executive budget next year.

Asked directly about the proposed legislation banning protests outside houses of worship, Mamdani declined to take a position. “I look forward to speaking with community leaders, with elected leaders and with legal experts before making any determinations on that legislation,” he said on Thursday.